AgQuip 2021 called off, new ag-tech event announced

One of Australia’s largest field days, AgQuip 2021 has been called off for good this year following an attempt to reschedule earlier this year.

The field days was originally scheduled to take place from August 17 to 19, 2021 but was then moved to November 16 to 18 due to the ongoing virus outbreak. However, organisers ACM Rural Events conceded the risks and uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak makes holding a large-scale event in virus-ridden NSW in the immediate future near impossible, therefore cancelling the event altogether for 2021.

This is the event’s second cancellation in a row as the 2020 event was also called off for the same reasons.

ACM Rural Events group manager, Kate Nugent, said while the cancellation was disappointing, the health and safety of rural communities remained their highest priority.

“It is with a great sense of loss, disruption and disappointment to cancel for the second year, particularly when the Australian agricultural industry is experiencing a boom year and a beacon for our Australian economy,” she said.

“It is the most responsible decision to cancel as early as we could to give everyone certainty and minimise the impacts where possible.

 “The health and safety of our primary industry, rural and regional communities is paramount, which is why we’re encouraging everyone to get vaccinated so we can get back to enjoying COVID-safe events again.”

ACM Rural Events said it will now focus on organising a bigger and better event in 2022.

“There is no complacency under COVID, there is financial pressure, there is emotional pressure, there is a feeling of fracture,” Nugent said.

“With hundreds of millions of dollars lost to industry and rural and regional communities across the nation, again – it’s a burden of responsibility and then there is the time to react - to be resilient, to reimagine, to rebuild and realise the new reality.”

In other news, ACM Rural Events is announcing a spin-off event building off AgQuip’s strong history and success.

The inaugural AgSmart Australia expo, which will be the first national commercial ag tech and innovation event, will take place in March 2022 at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre in Tamworth, NSW.

“As we work together to contain the current outbreak and get our communities vaccinated, we can all look forward to the return of major events like AgQuip and new events like AgSmart that bring us together in celebration of the Australian agricultural industry and community,” Nugent said.

The next AgQuip Field Days will be held from August 16 to 18, 2022, when it commences its celebration of 50 years in Gunnedah, NSW.

If you're in need of your field days fix and want to be across the latest machinery releases on the market, please visit our Virtual Field Days 2021